Ohio State Army ROTC honors 9/11 victims as 15th anniversary of attack nears

ROTC cadets stand at attention on the turf fields by Lincoln Tower on Sept. 8. Credit: Tim Hayes | For The Lantern

The Ohio State Army ROTC honored victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by holding a commemorative physical training session on Thursday.

Cadets met for their weekly physical training at the turf field by Lincoln Tower at 6:30 a.m., but their routine was selected by the company commanders to reflect on the upcoming anniversary.

“We took our normal P.T., which we would do every Thursday morning,” said Cadet Battalion Commander Taylor Marsilio, a fourth-year in electrical and computer science engineering. “And to honor the victims of 9/11 we took the opportunity to do a special workout to honor those who have fallen.”

The physical training consisted of multiple sets of workouts, each with significance. For American Airlines Flight 11, cadets did 11 Russian twists — one for each of the flight crew — and seven sets of six sit ups for the 76 civilians lost on that flight, followed by nine seconds of silent rest for the nine months of cleanup after the attack.

United Airlines Flight 175 was remembered with nine wide-arm push ups for the flight crew and 51 crunches for the passengers. American Airlines Flight 77 was remembered with 11 burpees for the crew and seven sets of six push ups for the 76 passengers.

For Flight 93, cadets did seven jumping lunges for the crew and 33 flutter kicks for the passengers.

Although they were young when 9/11 occurred, some cadets still found a personal connection in its significance.

“9/11 was definitely the largest event in American history that we’ve lived through. It has changed the outcome of our entire nation and as a country, we have always defended those who cannot defend themselves,” said Cadet Command Sergeant Major Dax Conrad, a fourth-year in electrical and computer engineering. “The victims on 9/11 were innocent civilians and the entire Army has been dedicated since that day to … standing up for those who have fallen.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated which type of engineering major Taylor Marsilio is pursuing.